TEMPORAL AND REGIONAL PATTERNS OF COMMERCIAL LITIGATION IN POST-SOVIET RUSSIA

An American lawyer, political scientist, and specialist on Russian law and its application in the business environment examines the evolutio n of commercial litigation in arbitrazh courts. The research-based on analysis of official statistical forms that individual courts submit a nnually to the Higher Arbitrazh Court and interviews with business man agers-focuses on trends and regional variations in the number and type s of cases decided by these courts, including those involving nonpayme nts, bank services, collateral, commercial paper, damage to business r eputation, and participation of foreigners. Coverage also extends to t he speed and cost of litigating as well as to the appeals process.